Art Center plans 24-hour fundraiser

by CONNIE PILSTON SHOEMAKER

From The Butler Eagle , September 22, 2006

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Halloween might be a month away, but the work of Gene Fenton will get everyone in the mood for “The Monster Mash.” The highest bidder will get one of his originals. Fenton will be on hand crafting his fantastic creatures. His colorful menagerie of critters is unique, and in some cases, scary.

Fenton is a lifelong resident of Indiana, Pa. By day he plies the tools of his trade on big rigs and trucks, but by night he delves into the world of dinosaurs. He graduated from Indiana (Pa.) University in 1993 with a major in sculpture and a minor in printmaking. Sculpture, he said, was “a natural choice” for him. His fascination with dinosaurs began in grade school, where he began making modeling clay sculptures that he painted with car paint.

After his undergraduate work, Fenton attended graduate school at Long Island University, where he received a master’s degree in sculpture. Since then he’s had a pension for papier-mâché and prehistoric creatures both real and imagined.

“Papier-mâché isn’t always a medium that people necessarily look up to. It’s considered a ‘craft’ rather than ‘art,” said Fenton. For him, the medium is practical for sculpture. Basically, it is free and easy to mix up. “I didn’t have the clay,” he said. Fenton is quick to note that papier-mâché can be done anywhere, which makes it even more convenient.

“When I work in papiermâché, I treat it like clay,” Fenton explained. “The armatures for the sculpture begin with paper and tape. The ‘rule’ for papier-mâché is that only one layer at a time should be applied, but I like to use several layers of thick papiermâché that make the material easier to mold with my hands.”

To finish his work, Fenton either sands or trims the papier-mâché with a knife. He will be giving life to his next creation in person during ART24.

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